| Coaching in the Community - Beacon Hill working in football for people with a learning disability
Beacon Hill Rovers has teamed up with the North East Essex Primary Care Trust to be part of the Healthy 4 Life programme.
Back in 2007 BHRFC coaches started working with adult learning disability clients, their carers and therapists to provide football coaching for those who might not otherwise have access to participation in football. Initially coaching support was given to a group in Colchester and in 2008 this was expanded to include Braintree and Witham. Partner football clubs have now started sessions in Clacton and Chelmsford as the enthusiasm spreads for this programme.
BHRFC are now providing coaching twice a week to over forty adult clients covering a wide range of abilities. The Healthy 4 Life programme is the subject of a Football Foundation and Lottery bid to establish learning disability coaching across North Essex with the potential to start a league of participating clubs in the coming years.
The philosophy underpinning this work is to provide access to football for all irrespective of their abilities. The benefits to the clients are many, including physical activity, social interaction, personal and collective responsibility, commitment and understanding others needs. The work reinforces the place of BHRFC as part of the wider community.
Access to the programme delivered by BHRFC FA licensed coaches is by clinical referral; sessions take place on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings.
The program has gone from strength to strength and fostered the formation of the first Soccabiliy League in Essex which played during the 2009/2010 season. See the following article for more details on the first round of matches:
Soccability Thrives |
